Back in mid September Damien Hirst decided to sell his art directly via Sotheby’s auction house. Bypassing his big-name gallerists: Larry Gagosian and Jay Joplin. Sotheby’s is enthusiastic and breathless needless to say.

Sotheby’s spokesman Oliver Barker has been quoted that “Damien is totally fearless. He’s not just an outstanding artist; he’s a cultural phenomenon.”

Gagosian & Joplin’s comment was not fit to print.

Sales are expected to range between $100 to $200 million. The most expensive of which is expected to be a cow with golden horns and hoofs encased in a formaldehyde filled gold display case.

Anyone that is familiar with the state of the film or especially the music industry will have a feeling of deja vu. As the middle market is continually in decline and producers and consumers are finding the distance and materials between them are either disappearing or rearranging in more direct value matchmaking oriented ways.

The conventional wisdom is that only blue chip artists could make this leap successfully but music has already show that even entry level artists can find that the old model of parent/child is less successful then a more community focused matchmaking system managed by independent investors or other like minded creators.

Written by Christopher Hudgens

Christopher Hudgens is the Operations Manager for BaS and works in various other capacities for other organizations in the Chicago Art & Culture scene. Most recently as Business Operations Manager for the Bridge Art Fair and currently an advocate for all things art & technology.